Coventry venue chief executive wins award

The Ricoh Arena's Daniel Gidney has been named as the Midlands Business Person of the Year 2011.

Mr Gidney, who is chief executive of the Coventry venue, was awarded the title at the EC Hilton Metropole by a panel of judges earlier this month after the Ricoh Arena saw a string of successes over recent months.

He has overseen a major £3.7 million investment in the business in 2010, which has resulted in the creation of new conferencing and events facilities, while the venue has been named as one of the host football grounds for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Commenting on the win, Mr Gidney said he was very proud to fly the flag for Coventry.

"We have a small team which works extremely hard and has turned the Ricoh Arena into an internationally renowned venue in just five years which is a remarkable achievement," he added.

The venue will host a number of events over the coming months, including the Women's FA Cup final.